Meetings Aim To Settle Dispute About Academics

Schools Superintendent To Host Two Weeks Of Discussions About This Year's Initiatives

December 7, 2009|By Marc Freeman Staff Writer

Hopes of ending the controversy over Palm Beach County schools' academic initiatives seem to hinge on two weeks of meetings involving teachers, parents and administrators.

The gatherings start 8 a.m. Monday and are to be televised on Comcast Channel 97 and via a school district webcast. Officials say the format allows for participants to share information, discuss problems and suggest fixes.

With Winter Break approaching, this is an opportunity to "get the school year back on track," said Classroom Teachers Association President Robert Dow.

"There is time for individual school administrations to address these concerns with the opening of the next semester, and we patiently await those changes," he said.

For nearly the past four months, teachers and parents have blasted the initiatives for eating up class time for testing, placing unfair demands on teachers, and forcing classrooms into "one-size-fits-all" molds.

While apologizing for communication failures, Superintendent Art Johnson has said the initiatives were a proactive move to prepare schools for an onslaught of tougher state and federal standards and to help thousands of struggling students enrolled in top-rated schools.

After an October protest by 1,000 parents and teachers, Johnson authorized a switch from top-down management to "school-based" decision-making. That lets principals rule over curriculum matters, within state and federal requirements.

But critics called that change a "smoke screen" because from all appearances principals stuck with the administration's initiatives: embedded assessments, frameworks curriculum and departmentalization of third through fifth grades.

Another huge turnout at the School Board's November meeting showed a deepening divide between the district and the protestors, led by the teachers union and fans of a Facebook page called Testing is not Teaching.

Johnson says the new round of meetings is an attempt to reach "common ground" and achieve the goal of raising achievement among all students.

Susan Petosa, a Boca Raton parent activist, says she has low expectations for the process.

"I think that the upcoming meetings are a PR move and an attempt by Dr. Johnson to quiet the masses," Petosa said. "While we would hope that there would be some results seen from these meetings, I personally remain cautiously optimistic."

There are 11 meetings scheduled to run a total of 40 hours. At each session, senior administrators will meet with different groups of teachers, parents, and principals. The district will arrange for substitutes so teachers can attend the meetings.

The first 61/2-hour session Monday is with leaders of Employee Building Councils, or EBCs, from schools in the north and central areas of the county.

Required by the teacher's contract, each school has a building council that meets regularly to "help resolve and discuss any problems or concerns, which may result in the smoother operation of the school."

These teacher councils typically bring to principals issues such as curriculum, textbooks, assignment of duties and discipline.

At the district meeting, council chairpersons will offer examples of how teachers are forced to work excessive overtime because of added responsibilities, Dow said.

Tuesday's meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and is for presidents of Parent-Teacher Associations.

Kay Stagray, president of the Palm Beach County Council of PTA/PTSA, said she's expecting an open and honest exchange.

"I am hopeful all the presidents will be free to speak to what is happening at their schools," said Stagray, whose organization has not been active in the protests. "They are not a shy group."

Other meetings will include groups of principals, teacher union members, teachers who are not in the union, and School Advisory Council chairpersons. The final meeting on Dec. 17 is with representatives from charter schools.

There is also the possibility of a meeting between the superintendent and parents who belong to the Facebook page.

District spokesman Nat Harrington said after the meetings are completed, administrators will consider a response that could include tweaks to the programs.

"If there is an opening for a change to be made, we will make it," Harrington said.

Marc Freeman can be reached at mjfreeman@SunSentinel.com or 561-243-6642.

INFORMATIONAL BOX:

Meeting schedule

Administrators will meet with different invited groups during the next two weeks. All meetings will be held in the board room at school district headquarters in Palm Springs. The public can watch the sessions on Comcast Cable Channel 97 and on a webcast linked from www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/ten/.

Monday: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Employee Building Council chairpersons from north and central area.